Plumpton College student wins top award, A Greenkeeper above par
By Shan Dexter
Alan Pierce, a student on an NVQ level 3 programme at Plumpton College, East Sussex has won the Top Student Greenkeeper of the year award. The "Toro student Greenkeeper" is a national sportsturf contest and the college is very proud of Alan, who is currently Deputy Head Greenkeeper at Ham Manor Golf club, Sussex.
Alan, aged 24, from Worthing is a man of many talents. In addition to his post at Ham Manor Golf Club, he is a qualified mechanic, holder of an NVQ level 2 in Amenity Horticulture and NVQ level 3 in Sportsturf Management, from Plumpton College. He is currently studying at the College for the level 3 in Amenity Horticulture. His varied interests include motorcycling, scuba diving and playing the guitar.
Future ambitions include undertaking further study at Plumpton College into the scientific aspects of turfcare.
As award winner Alan wins an all-expenses residential scholarship to the USA, where he will study turf management. There will also be visits to The Toro Company HQ in Minneapolis and the Golf Industry Show in Atlanta.
This award follows soon after other Horticultural successes at the College.
Two students from the Hard Landscaping department at Plumpton College recently represented the UK at the World Skills competitions in Helsinki in the summer and came a creditable 10th place in the world.
The College has recently also been accredited as a Centre of Vocational Excellence in Horticultural Technologies, which will enable it to further develop its Horticultural facilities.
Photo follows: David Blackmur, Head of Horticulture Department, Plumpton College (left) with Alan Pierce, Top Student Greenkeeper of the year award winner (right).
Plumpton College is set in a 700 hectare estate at the foot of the picturesque South Downs, near to Brighton and close to London.
It offers a wide range of courses, full time or part time, from entry through to degree level.
The main subject areas are:
- animal care and management
- equine studies
- garden design
- metalsmithing and blacksmithing
- countryside management
- forestry and arboriculture
- agriculture
- horticulture
- greenkeeping and sportsturf
- rural business management
- floristry
- mechanisation
- sport (outdoor education)
- viticulture and wine studies
The College has been awarded status as a Centre for Rural Business Management Training as well as Sport and Recreation and Horticultural Technologies (CoVE).
Plumpton College provides a wide range of successful land-based programmes in Further and Higher Education.
For further details on the wide range of land-based courses at Plumpton College
see the website: www.plumpton.ac.uk
Contact: Shan Dexter, T: 01273 892034 email: shan.dexter@plumpton.ac.uk
